Apparatus for advancing and working elastomer compounds



A. N. GRAY Nov. 30, 1954 APPARATUS FOR ADVANCING AND WORKING ELASTOMER COMPOUNDS Filed Dec. 12, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l R m .h, w

. N am y Arr oRk/ev U Nov. 30, 1954 GRAY 2,695,422

APPARATUS FOR ADVANCING AND WORKING ELASTOMER COMPOUNDS Filed Dec. 12, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG, 4

uwz/vrqn A. N. GRAY By .ATT'ORNEV NOV. 30, 1954 GRAY 2,695,422

APPARATUS FOR ADVANCING AND WORKING ELASTOMER COMPOUNDS lNVEA/TQR A. N RAY A r TORNEV United States Patent APPARATUS' FOR ADVANCING AN D WORKING ELASTOMER COMPOUNDS Alvin N Gray, Edgewo'od, assignor-to Westem'EIec; trio Eom an-y, Ihcorporated', -New' York, N. Y1, a cor poration'of NewYork Application Deccmber 1 2, 1951; Serial N 0; 261,275

7 Glaimsr. (Ch.

invention relatesto" apparatusforiadvancing and working 7 elastomerco'mpounds; and: more particularly: to apparatus for simultaneously extruding' concentric in"- sulatingan'd jacketing coverings on conductors;

In the manufacture" of conductors havingqseveral layers of insulation" enclosing theiconductorcores, it'ha's been customary in the.pastto extrude a vulcanizablecovering on a conductor core; vulcanize the" covering; wind" the product" on a reel, unwind. the" product from the" reel, ex trude a second vulcanizabl coveringover' thefi'r'st coveringand then vulcani'zethat'covering. Obviouslyflsu'cha procedure involves considerable equipment and much handling ;of the intermediate product, and no. satisfactory apparatus for. extrudingboth coverings orr'theconductor coresimultaneously has. been found;

An objectof the inventionis to provide new and inrproved apparatus for advancing and'worlcin'g: elastomer compounds:

A furtherobject'of'the-invention is'to provide-- new and improvedlapparatus tor simultaneously'extruding in sulating and jacketiuggcoveri'ngs'on conductors;

Another object of the invention is to providenew and improved apparatus for simultaneouslyworking and extruding two. different plastic compoundsi'n concentric layers on the conductor core, and for:simultaneously vulcanizing the coverings.

In an apparatus illustrating certain features of the inventi'omta conductor core? is advanced'through an' extruder which simultaneously forces two" plastic compounds into concentric it coveringson' the core, and, if the plastic compounds include'vulcanizahle material, the coverings then may bevulcanizedL A complete. understanding of the invention may be obtainedfrom the following detailed" description of ap paratus forming specifi'c embodiments thereof, when" read in conjunction with theappendeddMWings, inwhich Fig. 1 is-a fragmentary, side-elevati'omof an apparatus embodying the. invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, vertical section ofa portion? of the apparatus shown in-Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is. a-vertical section taken along line 3-3: of Bi 2;.

iig. 4 is an enlargedi fragmentanu vertical sectiorrof aiportion of=the a paratus'showniin Fig; Land Fig- 5 isan enlarged, fragmentary;verticalisection of an apparatus forming an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings; thereiisshown in Figs. 1 to 4', inclusive, an"extruder.forsimultaneously working'and' extruding compounds and 11- into an insulating covering .14" and a jacket .l'son a' conductor: 16. The iacketing compound 10 islfed intothe extruder from a hopper 29 through! a-feed-openingr'H an extruding cvlinder 22 along a tub'nlar stock" screw23' having a thread'z l which varies-from deep at the op'en-ing'21 to shallow at the delivery end of'the screw 23% tapered, I

tubular; stock screw extensiorr 25 is fastenedrigidly to thestock screw 23', and is providdwith aplurality of extern l. rounded? helical ribs-2'--26.

The insulating compound 11 is introduced into the extruder through a ho per39, fiom which the compound 11 drops through a feed opening '3'1" formedi'n'the-cylin der 2:2. Thecomp'ound' 11 passes through the opening 31 and througli slots 32-32?" (Fig: 3 formed intofthe interior of the stock screw 23'. Theslots 3'2"'-32 are formed by scoop-shaped blacles 29 29$o'f "the screw"23 so as te positively: advance. the epmpoimdi 1 1:v inwardly:

s A stock screw 33 fits closely within the tubular stock screw"23, and' ha's a heat exchange passage 3'4 therein. The stock screw" 33 also has-- athread 33 varying from deep "at the entrance-end of the: screw to shallow at the delivery end thereoff tapered stocl screw" extension 36 is fastened to the deliver-y endofthe' stock screw-"33) and is: provided with external, rounded; helical ribs A frustoconical core tube 40 having a passage 41 therethrough isfastened to the end" of the'extension' 36, and serves to). guide the conductorfllG throughthe center of a. die 42 mounted in a die holder.- 43 fastened .inan extruding zhead 44 mounted" on" the" end? off the cylinder A vul'canizihg tube 45 is=fastenedtothe-extruding head 44 and is sealed thereto. by a gaskeh46. Steam under a high temperatureand prcssure is introducedto the vulcanizin'g tube -to'-vulcanizei-the-coverings 1'4 and 15. The die hold'e'r43, a holderi5'0"and"a* guide-51" are held'in asocket 52 intheextrudinghead 44-by ;'a:'ho1ding plate 53'. The guide 51 hasa' f 'r'ustocon'icalpassage? 54 therein. and a b'reaker'plate 55 'fits intoa stepped socket 56' and. is' provided with. slots 58 58-and[59f"59ffornring sections'of'frustrums, The'=brea:ker platesupports'a coarse -hacking screen-60, which supports a fine. straining screen 61. The guide 5 1 holds. the screens and the breaker plate in the socket 56..

The 'stock'screw 33 is'h'eld' stationary 'while the stock screw 23 is rotated in such a direction as-to advanceto the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, the compound 10 supplied thereto through the opening 21. Power for rotating the stock screw 23 is supplied by means of a motor and suitabl gearing"enclosed ina housing 663 The thread 35 on the stock screw- 33 is' in a direction opposite to that of the thread 2450 that the compoundll introduced to;thestock screw 33'is. advanced to the leftb'etween the stock screws23 and3'3;

Operation of first embodiment (Figs. .1. to? 4;).

The compounds 1 0" and 11 are introduced in. granular, powdered orpelletized form into the hoppers 20 and'39, respectively, orim'ay'be"introduced-instrip form into the openings 21 and 31- in'the" cylinder 22'. The screw 23 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, ,as' viewed" in Fig. 3', and the; screw 33 isiheldstationary. The screw 23 advancesthe compound 1'0 continuously to the left, asiviewedin Fig, 2', andcompacts'and works theconrpound'with' progressivelyincreasing intensity tomix" it and effect breakdown. The compound 10' is forced'along the ribbed extension 25, which severely kneads the compound; and is "forced 'from the extension in tubular form along the guide 51" and through. the slots 59-"59 andthe die 42 whichforms itinto the smooth-surfaced jacket'I'Si Simultaneously, thezcompound' 11 is forced along the interior of the stock, screw 23" by: the stock screw 33, which mixes'and effectsbreakdown oftlie compound and forces it along the extension 36." The roundedrihs 37-37 of the extension 36lseverely "work the compound to bring-it to a high. state of exrudabilitv'. This compound then" flows along; the core tube" 40" in, frustoconical path, and'fiows through the. slots 5S-58 in the breaker plate 55 inside the compoundlt); which: flows throughthe slots 5.9-59l in the breaker plate.

The die: 42 forms the compounds lil'and" into" the coverings l4iand"liconcentrically, an-dthe coverings are simultaneously vulcanized under heatand' pressure by steam introduced into the'vulcanizing tube 451' The stock screw 23 is; drivenrelative to the' stock'screw 33 in such a" direction thatthe compound 1t)is"fed'to" the'lft; as seen in Fig, 2, by the thread 24 on the stock'screw 23, andthe compound 11 is fed in the same direction by the thread 35 ofthe' stockiscrewl33;

The stock screw 33' preferably is heldlst'ationary in order to simplify thedrive gearing;.but it mayfbedriven in a direction opposite; to the direction of rotation offthe stock screw 23 bv suitablegeariirg' provided-the direction of the thread 35 is reversed, or may be rotated by suitable screw- 23? but'at'a speedfsubstantially lower 'thain thatftof thefstockrserewiar. Theirelativelispeedstof theatworstoek screws wouldibe "determinedzhwthei ml'ativei feeds otthe compounds 10 and 11 which is sought in order to produce the coverings 14 and 15 of uniform thicknesses and concentricity on the conductor 16.

Alternate embodiment (Fig.

This extruder is identical with the extruder shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, except as indicated hereinbelow. It includes an extruding head 144 having a bore 145 formed therein forming an extension of the bore of the extending cylinder (not shown) to which the extruding head 144 is connected. A tapered, tubular extension 125 mounted rotatably in the bore 145 has ribs 126-126 thereon, and extension 136 mounted in the extension 125 is provided with ribs 137137. A core tube 140 fastened to the end of the extension 136 is provided with tapered portions 150 and 151 and a tapered tip 152, and also has a cylindrical portion 155 that fits into a bore 156 formed in a breaker plate 157 provided with arcuate slots 160 and 161. I

The extruding head 144 is provided with a counterbore 163, and a holding plate 164 presses a die holder 143 against the breaker plate 157 to press a fine straining screen 168 and a backing screen 169 tightly between the breaker plate and the end of the counterbore 163. A die 142 is carried by the die holder 143, and a vulcanizing tube 145 is threadedly secured to the die holder 143 and is sealed thereto by a gasket 146. The extension 125 is provided with a tapered nose portion 128 which extends substantially to the straining screen 168 to deliver a jacketing compound 110 to the slots 161-161 and the extension 136 delivers an insulating compound 111 to the slots 160160.

Operation of alternate embodiment (Fig. 5)

The concentrically mounted stock screws force the compounds 110 and 111 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 5. The compounds 110 and 111 are worked as they are advanced to the delivery ends of the extensions 126 and 136, and the tapered tip 128 of the stock screw extension 125 keeps the compounds separate as they are forced toward the straining screen 168 and the breaker plate 157 so that the compound 110 is forced through the slots 161-161 and the compound 111 is forced through the slots 160-161). The compounds 110 and 111 emerge from the breaker plate in definitely defined concentric layers and are forced along the die holder 143 and the core tube 140 and are formed into coverings 114 and 115 on a conductor 116. The breaker plate 157 acts as a bearing to support the core tube 140 to hold the tip 152 concentrically in the die 142 so that the coverings 114 arlid 115 are uniform in thickness around the conductor 1 6.

The above-described apparatus serves to effectively form the two coverings on a conductor simultaneously, which substantially halves the apparatus previously required to apply both a first and a second covering on a conductor, and eliminates all the handling of the conductor normally required to apply the second covering on the first covering. Hence, much floor space, equipment and labor may be saved.

While the invention has been described as applied to the covering of a conductor with coverings of vulcanizable materials, it is obvious that modifications may be made to ermit the use of other materials. For example, it may be desirable to cover a conductor with multiple layers of one or more thermoplastic material, such as a polyvinyl compound or polyethylene. In that case, suitable changes may be made in the apparatus Without departing from the invention. Thus, the vulcanizing tube would be omitted, and a cooling or tempering means might be supplied near the extruder if thermoplastic materials were employed in apparatus embodying the invention.

Certain features of the above-describedapparatus are disclosed and claimed in copending applications Serial No. 86,085, filed April 7, 1949, by G. E. Gliss and Serial No. 86,086, filed April 7, 1949, by A, N, Gray and G. E. Gliss, both of which applications are now abandoned, and in A. N. Gray Patent 2,547,000 granted April 3, 1951.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An extruder, which comprises an extrusion cylinder having a bore extending therealong and also being provided with a feed opening positioned at one point therealong and a second feed opening positioned at a second point along the cylinder positioned farther from the entrance end of the bore than that at which the firstmentioned opening is positioned, an exterior extrusion screw having a thread thereon and provided with a cylindrical passage therethrough, said thread extending along the second-mentioned opening toward the delivery end of the bore, and an interior extrusion screw mounted in the passage in the exterior screw and provided with a thread extending along the portion of the cylinder at which the first-mentioned opening is positioned toward the delivery end of the exterior screw, said exterior screw being provided with a series of slots co-extensive with the first-mentioned opening in the extruding cylinder to permit the compound to be introduced through said firstmentioned opening and the openings in the exterior screw to the interior screw, said exterior screw being rotatable in a direction such as to advance compound introduced to both the screws along the screws, said interior screw being fixed relative to the extruding cylinder.

2. A concentric extruder, which comprises an extruding cylinder having an extruding bore extending therealong, an opening positioned at the entrance end of the bore and a second opening positioned between the first-mentioned opening and the delivery end of the bore near the entrance of the bore, an exterior extruding screw provided with a cylindrical passage extending therealong and also having a plurality of slots coextensive with the first-mentioned opening in the extruding cylinder and a thread extending in a predetermined direction from the second-mentioned opening in the extruding cylinder toward the delivery end of the bore, an interior stock screw having a passage extending therethrough mounted in the exterior stock screw and provided with a thread extending therearound in a direction opposite to that of the thread of the exterior screw from the slots in the exterior screw toward the delivery ends of the screws, a core tube mounted on the delivery end of the interior screw, a die mounted concentrically with the core tube, said exterior screw being rotatable relative to the interior screw and the extruding cylinder in such a direction as to advance compounds along both the screws.

3. A concentric extruder, which comprises an extruding cylinder having an extruding bore extending therealong, an opening positioned at the entrance end of the bore and a second opening positioned between the firstmentioned opening and the delivery end of the bore near the entrance of the bore, an exterior extruding screw provided with a cylindrical passage extending therealong and also having a plurality of slots coextensive with the firstmentioned opening in the extruding cylinder and a thread extendin in a redetermined direction from the secondmentioned opening in the extruding cylinder toward the delivery end of the bore, an interior stock screw having a passage extending therethrough mounted in the exterior stock screw and provided with a thread extending therearound in a direction opposite to that of the thread of the exterior screw from the slots in the exterior screw toward the deliverv end of the screws, a core tube mounted on the delivery end of the interior screw, a die mounted concentrically with the core tube, a breaker plate provided with outer slots to permit passage of compound from the exterior screw and inner slots to permit passage of compound from the interior screw positioned at the delivery ends of the screws, said exterior screw being rotated relative to the interior screw and the extruding cylinder in such a direction as to advance compounds along both the screws.

4. A concentric extruder, which comprises an extruding cylinder having an extruding bore extending therealong, an opening positioned at the entrance end of the .bore and a second opening positioned between the firstmentioned opening and the delivery end of the bore near the entrance of the bore, an exterior extruding screw provided with a cylindrical passage extending therealong and also having a plurality of slots coextensive with the first-mentioned opening in the extruding cylinder and a thread extending in a predetermined direction from the second-mentioned opening in the extruding cylinder toward the delivery end of the bore, an interior stock screw having a passage extending therethrough mounted in the exterior stock screw and provided with a thread extending therearound in a direction opposite to that of the thread of the exterior screw from the slots in the exterior screw toward the delivery end of the screws, a core tube mounted on the delivery end of the interior screw and provided with a cylindrical portion, a die mounted concentrically with the core tube at the delivery end thereof, a breaker plate provided with a socket for receiving the cylindrical portion of the core tube, said exterior screw being rotated relative to the interior screw and the extruding cylinder in such a direction as to advance compounds along both the screws.

5. An apparatus for advancing and working elastomer compounds, which comprises an extruding cylinder having a bore therein and feed openings spaced along the portion thereof near the entrance end of the bore, a tubular stock screw mounted rotatably in the bore and provided with a thread extending in a predetermined direction therearound, said screw also being provided with feed apertures extending from the exterior to the interior thereof at the feed opening more adjacent to the entrance end of the bore, a second stock screw extending along the interior of the tubular stock screw and provided with a thread thereon extending in the opposite direction therearound, and means for elfecting relative rotating between the tubular stock screw and the second stock screw so as to advance elastomer compounds along the screws in the same direction.

6. An extruder, which comprises an extruding cylinder having a pair of feed openings spaced therealong, a hollow stock screw mounted rotatably in the cylinder and provided with a thread extending along one of the openings and blades forming inclined slots extending through the stock screw along the other opening, and a second stock screw mounted in the first-mentioned screw and provided with a thread extending along the slots in the first-mentioned screw.

A concentric extruder, which comprises an extruding cylinder having a pair of feed openings spaced therealong, a hollow stock screw extending along the interior of the cylinder, said stock screw being provided with a plurality of scoops substantially co-extensive with the opening nearest the entrance end of the cylinder and also being provided with a thread extending along the other opening, means for rotating the stock screw in such a direction that the scoops force compound from the opening adjacent thereto into the interior of the screw, and a second screw mounted in the first-mentioned screw for forcing compound along the interior of the first-mentioned screw scooped into the interior of the first-mew tioned screw.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 484,777 Chase Oct. 25, 1892 817,080 Mahoney Apr. 3, 1906 1,294,008 Will Feb. 11, 1919 1,516,841 Buttfield Nov. 25, 1924 1,553,362 Calcutt Sept. 15, 1925 1,802,605 Kemp Apr. 28, 1931 1,978,163 Megow Oct. 23, 1934 2,469,999 Stober May 10, 1949 2,553,076 Bradley May 15, 1951 

